Miniature empanadas

I made these for a high tea. Everyone brought along a plate of home-made goodies and we ate until we could eat no more.

All of the dishes were really impressive - polenta chips with sweet potato mash and mushrooms, peking duck salad rolls, sponge cakes with tia maria custard and toffee, custard trifle with berries and chocolate mousse, four varieties of cookies, salmon rolled in seaweed with shabu-shabu noodles... and the list goes on. I felt my contribution was pretty humble, especially because I bought the pastry! Oh well.

I made mini empanadas, about 50 in total with each sheet of pastry cut into 9 pieces, but you could make normal-sized ones as easily with the same recipe.



6 garlic cloves, chopped
120g brown onion, chopped
650g mince beef
1 long red chilli, finely chopped
90g raisins
110g olives, chopped (green or black according to your preference; I used black)
1 teaspoon paprika
1.5 teaspoons salt
parsley
2 hardboiled eggs, chopped
short crust pastry
beaten egg, to brush


Hardboil 2 eggs, let cool and chop.

In a pan, heat olive oil and cook garlic for 1 minute.

Add onion and cook 3-4 minutes.

Add beef and cook 5 minutes.

Add chilli, raisin, olives, paprika and salt, and cook for 5 minutes.

Remove from heat, stir in parsley and eggs.

Fill pastry and brush with egg.

Bake at 230C for 20 minutes or until golden.

Serve hot, with a squeeze of lemon if you like.


Adapted from a Bourke Street Bakery recipe

Beef Casserole with Soft Polenta

The soft polenta was both fun and easy to make (lots of stirring!) and you get good value out of just one cup of polenta. When hot, it filled up the whole of a small saucepan and had the consistency of cake dough. As it cooled, it became firmer and started looking a lot like scrambled eggs. Tastewise, however, it was blander then I expected - next time I might make cous cous or rice as a side instead.

Full disclosure: I did not make my own stock, I got pre-made at the supermarket. Shameful, I know. /o\


Ingredients:
2 tablespoons plain flour
800g gravy beef, trimmed, cut into 3cm pieces (I halved this and the flour)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 brown onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 carrot, peeled, halved, chopped
2 celery stalks, trimmed, chopped (I used 1)
1 parsnip, peeled, chopped (I substituted a potato)
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves
2 cups beef stock
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil leaves


Soft polenta:
2 cups milk
1 cup polenta
1/3 cup finely grated parmesan cheese


Method:

Coat beef in flour (suggested method is shaking them together in a sealed snaplock bag).

Heat half the oil in a large saucepan over high heat. Add half the beef. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until browned. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining oil and beef.

Reduce heat to medium. Add onion, garlic, carrot and celery to pan. Cook for 3 minutes or until tender. Return beef and juices to pan. Add parsnip (or potato), rosemary, stock, tomato paste and vinegar.

Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low. Simmer, covered, for 1 hour. Remove lid. Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until beef is tender.

Meanwhile, make soft polenta: Combine milk and 2 cups cold water in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to the boil. Gradually add polenta, stirring. Reduce heat to low. Simmer, stirring, for 10 minutes or until thickened. Stir in cheese.

Add basil to casserole. Stir to combine. Serve casserole with polenta.


Adapted from Taste.com.au